Culturally adapting relational savoring: A therapeutic approach to improve relationship quality.

Relational savoring (RS) is a brief, strengths-based approach to heightening attentional focus to moments of positive connectedness within relationships. RS can be administered preventatively or within an intervention context when a therapist aspires to foster more optimal relational functioning. Typically administered within a one-on-one therapy setting, RS has demonstrated efficacy in enhancing intra- and interpersonal outcomes. To increase access to mental health services, the developers of RS are committed to engaging in an iterative approach of enhancing the cultural congruence and accessibility of this intervention within various cultural contexts, beginning with Latine groups in Southern California. In this article, we describe relational savoring and its theoretical and empirical support, including the process of culturally adapting the intervention within the context of three major studies, each with a distinct focus on Latine groups, a community that is underserved in mental health care settings. We then provide a vision for future research to improve upon the intervention's compatibility for Latine families and other populations.

Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement remediates anhedonia in chronic opioid use by enhancing neurophysiological responses during savoring of natural rewards.

BACKGROUND: Neuropsychopharmacologic effects of long-term opioid therapy (LTOT) in the context of chronic pain may result in subjective anhedonia coupled with decreased attention to natural rewards. Yet, there are no known efficacious treatments for anhedonia and reward deficits associated with chronic opioid use. Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE), a novel behavioral intervention combining training in mindfulness with savoring of natural rewards, may hold promise for treating anhedonia in LTOT. METHODS: Veterans receiving LTOT (N = 63) for chronic pain were randomized to 8 weeks of MORE or a supportive group (SG) psychotherapy control. Before and after the 8-week treatment groups, we assessed the effects of MORE on the late positive potential (LPP) of the electroencephalogram and skin conductance level (SCL) during viewing and up-regulating responses (i.e. savoring) to natural reward cues. We then examined whether these neurophysiological effects were associated with reductions in subjective anhedonia by 4-month follow-up. RESULTS: Patients treated with MORE demonstrated significantly increased LPP and SCL to natural reward cues and greater decreases in subjective anhedonia relative to those in the SG. The effect of MORE on reducing anhedonia was statistically mediated by increases in LPP response during savoring. CONCLUSIONS: MORE enhances motivated attention to natural reward cues among chronic pain patients on LTOT, as evidenced by increased electrocortical and sympathetic nervous system responses. Given neurophysiological evidence of clinical target engagement, MORE may be an efficacious treatment for anhedonia among chronic opioid users, people with chronic pain, and those at risk for opioid use disorder.

The Conditional Effects of Savoring on the Relationship between Minority Stress and Alcohol Misuse in an LGBTQIA + Sample.

Background: Alcohol-related difficulties are a significant public health concern in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, asexual, and people with other sexual orientations and forms of gender identity (LGBTQIA+) communities. Considering these concerns, there is a strong push to develop affirming and strength-based prevention efforts. Unfortunately, such efforts are undermined by the lack of protective LGBTQIA + models for alcohol misuse. To this end, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate whether savoring, the ability to create, maintain, and prolong positive emotions, meets basic criteria for a protective factor for alcohol misuse in a sample of LGBTQIA + adults. Methods: The sample was comprised of 226 LGBTQIA + adults who completed an online survey. Results: Results indicated that savoring was inversely related to alcohol misuse. In addition, the relationship between minority stress and alcohol misuse varied as a function of savoring; at high levels of savoring (a score of 136.63 on the Savoring Beliefs Inventory), the relationship between minority stress and alcohol misuse was non-significant. Conclusions: In combination, these findings offer preliminary support for savoring as a protective factor for alcohol misuse among different LGBTQIA + communities. However, longitudinal and experimental research is needed to solidify the role of savoring in minimizing alcohol-related problems in this population.

Savoring interventions for mothers of young children: Mechanisms linking relational savoring and personal savoring to reflective functioning.

Parenting interventions can improve parenting outcomes, with widespread implications for children's developmental trajectories. Relational savoring (RS) is a brief attachment-based intervention with high potential for dissemination. Here we examine data from a recent intervention trial in order to isolate the mechanisms by which savoring predicts reflective functioning (RF) at treatment follow-up through an examination of the content of savoring sessions (specificity, positivity, connectedness, safe haven/secure base, self-focus, child-focus). Mothers (N = 147, Mage  = 30.84 years, SDage  = 5.13; Race: 67.3% White/Caucasian, 12.9% other or declined to state; 10.9% biracial/multiracial, 5.4% Asian, 1.4% Native American/Alaska Native, 2.0% Black/African American; Ethnicity: 41.5% Latina) of toddlers (Mage  = 20.96 months, SDage  = 2.50; 53.5% female) were randomized to four sessions of RS or personal savoring (PS). Both RS and PS predicted higher RF, but through different means. RS was indirectly associated with higher RF through greater connectedness and specificity of savoring content, while PS was indirectly associated with higher RF through greater self-focus in savoring content. We discuss the implications of these findings for treatment development and for our understanding of the emotional experience of mothers of toddlers.

Las intervenciones sobre la crianza pueden mejorar los resultados, con implicaciones ampliamente extendidas para las trayectorias de desarrollo de los niños. Disfrute de la Relación (RS) es una intervención breve con base en la afectividad que tiene un alto potencial para ser diseminada. Aquí examinamos los datos de un reciente ensayo de intervención con el fin de aislar los mecanismos por medio de los cuales el disfrutar predice el funcionamiento con reflexión (RF) al momento del seguimiento del tratamiento a través de una examinación del contexto de las sesiones de disfrutar (especificidad, positividad, sentido de conexión, refugio seguro/base segura, auto enfoque, enfoque en el niño). Las madres (N = 147, edad promedio = 30.84 años, desviación estándar por edad = 5.13; Raza: 67.3% blanca/cáucasa, 12.9% otra o se negó a indicarla; 10.9% birracial/multirracial, 5.4% asiática, 1.4% indígena americana/indígena de Alaska, 2.0% negra/afroamericana; Etnicidad: 41.5% latina) de niños pequeñitos (edad promedio = 20.96 meses, desviación estándar por edad = 2.50; 53.5% niñas) fueron asignadas al azar a 4 sesiones de RS o de disfrute personal (PS). Ambas, RS y PS predijeron una más alta RF, pero por diferentes medios. Se asoció RS indirectamente con una más alta RF a través de un mayor sentido de conexión y especificidad del contenido de disfrute, mientras que PS se asoció indirectamente con una mayor RF a través de un mayor auto enfoque en el contenido de disfrute. Discutimos las implicaciones de estas observaciones para el desarrollo del tratamiento y para nuestra comprensión de la experiencia emocional de madres y niños pequeñitos.

Les interventions de parentage peuvent améliorer les résultats de parentage, avec des implications généralisées pour les trajectoires de développement des enfants. La Saveur relationnelle (relational savoring en anglais, soit RS) est une intervention basée sur l'attachement brève, ayant un fort potentiel de dissémination. Nous examinons ici des données de l'essai d'intervention récent de façon à isoler les mécanismes par lesquels le fait de savourer prédit le fonctionnement de réflexion (RF) au suivi du traitement au travers d'un examen du contenu des session de saveur (spécificité, positivité, connexion, refuge/base sûre, concentration, concentration-enfant). Les mères (N = 147, Mâge = 30,84 ans, SDâge = 5,13; Race: 67,3% blanches, 12,9% autre race ou ont préféré ne pas répondre; 10,9% métis/multiraciales, 5,4% asiatiques, 1,4% autochtones/natives de l'Alaska, 2,0% noires/Africaines Américaines; Ethnicité: 41.5% latinas) de jeunes enfants (Mâge = 20,96 mois, SDâge = 2,50; 53,5% de sexe féminin) ont été randomisées en 4 séances de RS ou de Saveur Personnelle (SP). La RS et la SP ont prédit un RF plus élevé mais à travers différents moyens. La RS était indirectement liée à un RF plus élevé au travers d'une plus grande connexion et une spécificité du contenu de saveur, alors que la SP était indirectement liée à une RF plus élevé au travers d'une plus grande concentration en savourant le contenu. Nous discutons les implications de ces résultats pour le développement d'un traitement et pour notre compréhension de l'expérience émotionnelle des mères de jeunes enfants.

Parents' depressive symptoms and reflective functioning predict parents' proficiency in relational savoring and children's physiological regulation.

This study examined parental depression and parental reflective functioning (PRF) as predictors of parental proficiency in relational savoring (RS), the association between RS proficiency and a marker of children's physiological self-regulation, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), during a stressor, and indirect effects of parental depression and PRF on children's RSA via parents' RS. At Time 1 (T1), parents of 8- to 12-year-old children (N = 139) reported on their depressive symptoms and completed a parenting interview, coded for PRF. After 1.5 years (Time 2; T2), parents savored a positive relational memory that involved their children, which was coded for savoring proficiency. Children's RSA was measured during a stressful task (a series of impossible puzzles). Depressive symptoms (inversely) and PRF (positively) were associated with RS proficiency. Higher parental RS proficiency was associated with children's higher mean levels of RSA during the stressor. Indirect effects models supported that T2 RS proficiency mediated the negative association between parental T1 depressive symptoms and children's T2 RSA, and between T1 PRF and children's T2 RSA. We discuss these findings in terms of implications for parents' emotion regulation, children's emotion regulation, children's mental health, and intervention.

Mindfulness and Savoring: A Commentary on Savoring Strategies and Their Implications for Addiction Treatment.

Background: A central facet of the popular understanding of mindfulness practice is the non-judgmental observation of all thoughts and feelings. Savoring is a cognitive practice developed out of economics and positive psychology, which involves the conscious mental engagement with positively-valenced interoceptive and exteroceptive stimuli, which in turn amplifies the derived pleasure experience. Results: When incorporated into mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), savoring holds promise in improving outcomes related to reward processing, such as positive affect and well-being. The growing body of mindfulness literature also suggests that the inclusion of savoring in MBIs may be key in treating disorders of reward dysregulation, such as addiction. If savoring does indeed reduce craving, this phenomenon offers a point of union for divergent neurobiological theories of addiction. Conclusion: In this commentary, we explore the existing literature on savoring and mindfulness practices as it relates to addictive disorders, posit underlying neurocognitive mechanisms, and present future areas of research.

Links between Savoring, Rumination, and Sleep-Related Experiences across Adulthood: Implications for Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: Sleep problems are pervasive, particularly in older adults. Much work examines psychological factors that adversely affect sleep; fewer studies examine those with a positive effect. Savoring is a form of positive repetitive thought that is linked to several aspects of health but has been understudied in relation to sleep. We examined cross-sectional associations of both savoring and rumination with subjective sleep experiences, and assessed if these associations vary by age. METHODS: Adults and older adults (N = 216) ranging from 20-80 years in age (M = 44.9 ± 15.6 years) completed an online survey of validated measures of savoring, rumination, sleep disturbance, and sleep-related impairment. RESULTS: Higher levels of savoring were significantly associated with lower levels of sleep-related impairment but not sleep disturbance in regression analyses. Higher levels of rumination were significantly associated with higher levels of sleep disturbance and sleep-related impairment. Associations of savoring and rumination with sleep-related experiences did not vary by age. CONCLUSIONS: Savoring and rumination are relevant to sleep-related experiences in adults ranging from younger to older. Further investigation of the potential positive impact of savoring on sleep-related experiences is needed. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Engagement in savoring and rumination should be considered when assessing sleep and sleep-related impairment in adults.

Coping with COVID-19 - Longitudinal analysis of coping strategies and the role of trait mindfulness in mental well-being.

Policy interventions intended to fight COVID-19 forced people to cope with several restrictions on their personal freedom. The present work addressed the question of how people dealt with stressors during a lockdown period and investigated the role of trait mindfulness and its subcomponents in coping and mental well-being. We recruited a sample of 93 participants to study coping reactions using a multi-wave study over a period of two-months with 13 measurement points. Multilevel analysis revealed that engagement-related coping such as problem-solving was positively related to well-being; the opposite was true for disengagement coping such as blaming. The mindfulness facet orientation towards experience (being open and accepting experiences without judgment) was negatively related to disengagement coping, while the facet self-regulated attention (awareness of the present moment) was positively related to engagement coping. Self-regulated attention but not orientation towards experience was associated with savoring positive aspects of COVID-related changes over time. Engagement-related coping mediated the effects of trait mindfulness on well-being. The findings point to the differential effects of subcomponents of trait mindfulness in the context of coping and mental well-being. Further implications are discussed.

Savoring Moderates the Link between Marijuana Use and Marijuana Problems.

Background: The changing legal landscape for marijuana requires concerted efforts toward minimizing the potential harms related to use of the plant. Purpose/Objectives: Identifying buffers against negative consequences in regular users could help researchers fashion prevention efforts that could appeal to those who are uninterested in messages related to abstinence. Savoring, a positively-focused, mindful approach to making the most of positive experiences, appears to overlap with facets of treatment that have proven successful with problem users. The present study examined the role of savoring in the development of marijuana-related problems. Methods: We examined the potential role of savoring as a buffer against marijuana problems in 195 participants (27.3% female). Results: Participants in this sample used cannabis 3.06 days per week on average. Correlations revealed that problems decreased as savoring increased. In addition, a significant interaction revealed that savoring moderated the impact of frequent use on problems. As savoring increased, the positive association between frequency of use and negative consequences decreased, suggesting that those who are high on savoring experience fewer negative consequences than those who are low on savoring even when they use marijuana as frequently. Conclusions: These data support the idea of incorporating savoring into the prevention of marijuana problems.

Associations of trait positive emotion regulation with everyday emotions: An experience sampling approach.

Positive emotion regulation is important for enhancing psychological well-being. Previous studies have adopted a cross-sectional design to examine the relationships between positive emotion regulation strategies and psychological functioning. Relatively little is known about the role of positive emotion regulation strategies in positive and negative emotions in everyday life. This study examines associations between perceived capability of savoring and trait positive rumination and everyday emotions. Among 300 Hong Kong Chinese (age 18-77 years), perceived capability of savoring the moment and positive rumination predicted higher positive emotions during positive-valenced events. Perceived capability of savoring the moment predicted lower negative emotions during positive-valenced events and higher positive emotions during negative-valenced events. Positive links between positive valence ratings of events and positive emotions were stronger among individuals who reported higher levels of perceived capability of savoring through reminiscence and greater trait emotion-focused rumination. Positive links between negative valence ratings of events and negative emotions were significant only among individuals who reported low/medium levels of perceived capability of savoring through anticipation. These findings suggest that: (a) perceived capability of savoring and trait positive rumination are key mechanisms for increasing positive emotions and (b) perceived capability of savoring fosters adaptive adjustment to stress during negative events.

Strengths in older adults: differential effect of savoring, gratitude and optimism on well-being.

Objetive: The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of three separate strengths training-based interventions - Gratitude, Savoring, and Optimism - in older adults. Method: The sample comprised 124 older adults, namely, 74 women and 50 men, non-institutionalized individuals who regularly attend day centers in the provinces of Jaén and Córdoba, southern Spain. Their ages ranged between 60 and 89 years. The measures used were Anxiety, Depression, Life Satisfaction, Positive and Negative Affect, Subjective Happiness, and Resilience. Results: Training in Gratitude and Savoring increased scores in Life Satisfaction, Positive Affect, Subjective Happiness and Resilience, and reduced Negative Affect, whereas training in Optimism failed to produce a significant change in these variables. The Savoring and Optimism interventions decreased scores in Depression but, contrary to hypothesis, this was not the case for Gratitude. Conclusion: These results represent an important step in understanding what type of strengths work best when it comes to enhancing well-being in older adults and consequently helping them tackle the challenges of everyday life and recover as quickly as possible from the adverse situations and events that may arise.

Struggling with Happiness: A Pathway Leading Depression to Gambling Disorder.

A number of studies have suggested that depressive mood might lead to the development and/or maintenance of a gambling disorder (GD). The pathways by which such relationships are fostered may involve deficits in emotional regulation capacity and dysfunctional coping styles. This study aims to explore the role played by depressive symptomatology and the regulation of positive emotion in GD. We administered the South Oaks Gambling Inventory (SOGS, Lesieur and Blume in Am J Psychiatry 144(9):1184-1188, 1987), the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21, Lovibond and Lovibond in Manual for the depression anxiety stress scales. Psychology Foundation, Sydney, 1995) and the Kill-joy Thinking subscale of the Ways of Savouring Checklist (WOSC, Bryant and Veroff in Savoring: a new model of positive experience. Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahwah, 2007) to a sample of pathological gamblers (n = 91) and a sample of community participants (n = 105). The pathological gamblers scored higher on the DASS-21 subscales and obtained higher scores on the Kill-joy Thinking subscale of the WOSC compared to the controls. Moreover, the SOGS scores positively correlate with the DASS-21 subscales, and with the Kill-Joy Thinking measure. Finally, it is evident that Kill-joy Thinking fully mediates the relationship between depressive symptomatology and GD severity. Our results further confirm the roles of depression, anxiety and stress in GD. Moreover, this is the first study to explore the mediating role of dampening processes in the relationship between depression and GD. Future lines of research are also discussed.

Beliefs about savoring in older adulthood: Aging and perceived health affect temporal components of perceived savoring ability.

The ability to savor positive life events is associated with higher emotional well-being; however, few studies have examined savoring ability in older adults. The present study used a longitudinal design to examine changes in perceived savoring abilities and associations with perceived health in older adulthood. Older adults (N=131) reported on beliefs about savoring and perceived health at baseline and 2½ years later. Perceived anticipation (savoring the future) and reminiscing (savoring the past) abilities declined from baseline to follow-up. Better perceived health at baseline predicted greater perceived reminiscing and anticipation abilities at follow-up. Greater perceived ability to savor the present moment at baseline predicted better perceived health at follow-up. Aging and poorer health focus older adults' thoughts on present-moment pleasures, which may benefit health, but may also lead to reductions in perceived anticipation and reminiscing abilities.

Schizophrenia: Reaction to Positive Life Events.

Negative life events can exacerbate symptoms in schizophrenia, but there is no literature on the effect on psychotic symptoms of positive life events. The purpose of this review was to scan the literature that studies how the joy that accompanies positive life events can be dampened and dismissed or, alternatively, savored and maintained, and how this contrast applies to schizophrenia. A literature search elicited 53 articles relevant to schizophrenia. Schizophrenia was found to be linked with difficulties in the processing of reward, in feeling that one was deserving of a reward, in sharing news of positive events, in knowing with whom to share, in knowing how to elicit a positive response from listeners when communicating good news, and in ensuring that positive feelings endure. There was no evidence that positive life events reduce psychosis symptoms but teaching the various skills of how to capitalize on good fortune can nevertheless improve the quality of life of individuals with schizophrenia.

SECURE BASE SCRIPT CONTENT EXPLAINS THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ATTACHMENT AVOIDANCE AND EMOTION-RELATED CONSTRUCTS IN PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN.

The secure base script (SBS) framework is one method of assessing implicit internal working models of attachment; recently, researchers have applied this method to analyze narratives regarding relationship experiences. This study examines the associations between attachment avoidance and SBS content when parents recall a positive moment of connection between themselves and their children (relational savoring) as well as their association with parental emotion and reflective functioning (RF). Using a sample of parents (N = 155, 92% female) of young children (53% boys, Mage = 12.76 months), we found that parental attachment avoidance is inversely associated with SBS content during relational savoring, and that SBS content is an indirect effect explaining the association between attachment avoidance and postsavoring (positive and negative) emotion as well as avoidance and poststressor RF. Findings have implications for understanding attachment and parenting.

The Benefits of Savoring Life: Savoring as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Health and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults.

We investigated the protective impact of savoring capacity on the relationship between physical health and psychological well-being among older adults. A total of 266 adults over 55 years old ( Mean = 73.4 years) completed measures of savoring ability, self-reported health, and life satisfaction. Savoring ability moderated the relationship between health and life satisfaction in older adults. Among people with less savoring ability, poor health was associated with lower life satisfaction. In contrast, people with greater savoring ability maintained higher life satisfaction, regardless of their level of health. These effects were consistent across a variety of different aspects of health, including general health, pain, limitations due to physical health, energy, and social functioning. These findings have direct implications for developing positive interventions to support the psychological well-being of older adults.

Mothers' attachment styles and their children's self-reported security, as related to maternal socialization of children's positive affect regulation.

This study investigated how mothers' attachment was related to their responses to their own and their children's positive events and positive affect (PA). Ninety-seven mothers reported on their attachment and their responses to their own and their 7-12-year-old children's positive events and emotions. Children reported on their mothers' responses to the children's positive events and their attachment security with their mothers. The results indicated that more avoidant mothers reported less intense PA in response to their own and their children's positive events. More avoidant mothers also were less likely to encourage their children to savor positive events (through expressing PA, reflecting on PA or themselves, giving rewards, and affectionate responses). Mothers higher on anxiety reported greater likelihood of dampening (e.g., minimizing the event's importance) their own positive events and reported being more likely to feel discomfort and to reprimand their children for expressing PA. Children's security was predicted by mothers' lower likelihood of encouraging children's dampening and of reprimanding children for PA displays. This study advances the literature on how mothers' attachment is related to the ways in which they regulate their own and their children's PA, which may have implications for children's attachment and developing PA regulation.

Sleep spindle activity is associated with state- and trait-based emotion in healthy school-aged children.

BACKGROUND: While connections between children's sleep and their daytime functioning are well established, less is known about the microstructural features of sleep that support emotional wellbeing. Investigating these relationships in healthy children may provide insight into adaptive emotional development. We therefore examined associations between non-rapid eye movement (N2) sleep spindles and both state- and trait-based measures of emotion. METHODS: A sample of 30 children (7-11 years) without psychiatric disorders completed a baseline assessment, one night of at-home polysomnography (PSG), and an in-lab emotional state assessment the next day including self-reported arousal in response to affective images. Trait-based measures of anxiety and depression as well as savoring, a positive emotion regulatory strategy, were also completed. N2 sleep spindle parameters, including spindle density (number/min) and peak frequency in central regions, were detected using an automated algorithm. RESULTS: Greater spindle density was significantly associated with decreased state-based emotional arousal towards negative affective images, and greater spindle peak frequency was associated with greater trait-based use of savoring. However, neither spindle parameter was associated with child anxiety or depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Findings align with and expand on prior research to suggest that N2 sleep spindles support adaptive emotional functioning in school-aged children.

Effects of Savoring Meditation on Positive Emotions and Pain-Related Brain Function: A Mechanistic Randomized Controlled Trial in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Positive emotions are a promising target for intervention in chronic pain, but mixed findings across trials to date suggest that existing interventions may not be optimized to efficiently engage the target. The aim of the current pilot mechanistic randomized controlled trial was to test the effects of a positive emotion-enhancing intervention called Savoring Meditation on pain-related neural and behavioral targets in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Participants included 44 patients with a physician-confirmed diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (n = 29 included in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analyses), who were randomized to either Savoring Meditation or a Slow Breathing control. Both meditation interventions were brief (four 20-minute sessions). Self-report measures were collected pre-and post-intervention. An fMRI task was conducted at post-intervention, during which participants practiced the meditation technique on which they had been trained while exposed to non-painful and painful thermal stimuli. Savoring significantly reduced experimental pain intensity ratings relative to rest (P < .001). Savoring also increased cerebral blood flow in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and increased connectivity between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and caudate during noxious thermal stimulation relative to Slow Breathing (z = 2.3 voxelwise, false discovery rate cluster corrected P = .05). Participants in the Savoring condition also reported significantly increased positive emotions (ps < .05) and reduced anhedonic symptoms (P < .01) from pre- to post-intervention. These findings suggest that Savoring recruits reward-enhancing corticostriatal circuits in the face of pain, and future work should extend these findings to evaluate if these mechanisms of Savoring are associated with improved clinical pain outcomes in diverse patient populations. PERSPECTIVE: Savoring Meditation is a novel positive emotion-enhancing intervention designed for patients with chronic pain. The present findings provide preliminary evidence that Savoring Meditation is acutely analgesic, and engages neural and subjective emotional targets that are relevant to pain self-management. Future work should evaluate the clinical translation of these findings.